What was the dust bowl, and what effects did it cause to change history?The Dust Bowl, also known as the Dirty Thirties, was a period of severe dust storms that greatly damaged the ecology and agriculture of the US and Canadian prairies during the 1930s; severe drought and a failure to apply dry land farming methods to prevent wind erosion caused the phenomenon. The dust bowl occurred from 1932 to 1938. when prices were low and money was tight. Crops, people, and the economy were all affected by this tragic event.Crops were destroyed by all of the wind and dust blowing away the nutrients in the soil, the people were scared, poor, and sick due to the dust, and the economy was even worse than it was before because without all of the crops there were no jobs, and no income.
What was the Cause of the Dust Bowl?When pioneers headed west in the late 19th century, many couldn't resist the lure of the tall grassy land in the semiarid Midwestern and southern plains of the United States. They settled there to farm. They were prosperous in the decades that followed, but when the 1930s rolled in, so did strong winds, drought and clouds of dust that plagued nearly 75 percent of the United States between 1931 and 1939 . The era became known as the legendary Dust Bowl. The dust bowl was caused by lack of rain, primarily in the southern plains, The loss of rain affected vegetation and created dry soil which turned to dust. This dust was carried by the wind vigorously throughout the southern plains and then upward. By 1935, 850 million tons of soil had blown across 4 million acres of plains.
How did the Dust Bowl affect the CROPS in the 1930's?Imagine yourself, living in the time of the great depression. The only thing that is keeping you from being homeless is the fact that you have crops in your back yard that give you a small but steady income. Now imagine all of those money makers are dead due to dust that is putting you and your families lives in danger. plains grasslands had been deeply plowed and planted to wheat. During the years when there was adequate rainfall, the land produced bountiful crops. But as the droughts of the early 1930s deepened, the farmers kept plowing and planting and nothing would grow. The ground cover that held the soil in place was gone. The Plains winds whipped across the fields raising billowing clouds of dust to the skies.
How did the Dust Bowl affect PEOPLE in the 1930's?People were affected greatly by the Dust Bowl! They lost their money, crops, some even houses. Due to the fact that they couldn't go to work, because of the storms, they had no jobs, and their crops were destroyed, so some didn't even have food, and they couldn't talk if they did go out because the dust would get in their lungs. Children couldn't go out and play because they would be blown away, and adults had to make sure they knew where their children were at all times because young ones could wonder out into the streets. Author Juanita Nobles was born in 1935, and was one at the time of the dust storms. She recalls remembering the stories her parents told her about the struggles of the earlier years of the Dust Bowl. Juanita remembers her relatives clothes looking like the pictures, you would see on Google images when you search "effects of the dust bowl", dirty, old, and torn.
How did the Dust Bowl affect the ECONOMY in the 1930's?The 1930's time period, was part of the great depression. Times were tough, people were jobless, and to make it worse, the Dust Bowl took place. Can you imagine being poor and just being able to afford your house and then you cannot even go out of your house to work and get money, because if you do, the storms will blow you away or suffocate you. You soon run out of money, and all of your crops die, so now you don't have any food to sell and make money. Now these people are poor and miserable. The economy was terrible and the Dust Bowl did not help to make it any better. What were safety precautions that people took during this disaster?During this disaster, safety was key for survival. Upon leaving your house, conversation posed as a danger for suffocating from dust. Hand signs were used for interaction while outside as well as in rooms with windows or cracks. Only in a room with no cracks or openings was talking advised. After you spoke, it was also recommended to wash your mouth, just to be safe. It was impossible to live a normal life during this time. One accidental breath could cost you your life, even if you were in excellent health prior to that.
Timeline of The Dust Bowl
1931
The drought hits and the dust forms and begins to expand.
1932
Fourteen dust storms occur (next year there will be 38).
1933
People get help money wise, food wise, and clothing wise; however, things go down hill again, there is strike and people are fleeing.
1934
Drought continues and it is now noted this is the worst in US history. Help is provided through banking services and the damage is recorded so far.
1935
The government begins to organize possible relief activities in hope of ridding the dust bowl. To spare animals, cattle is brought to safety countries. Remaining, unshipped cattle is used as food for the current survivors. $525 million is provided for drought relief and FDR authorizes creation of Works Progress Administration, employing 8.5 million. However, not all is well for too long. April 14, Black Sunday, occurs creating the worst black blizzard causing immense damages.
1936
SCS publishes a soil conservation law and if it is passed by the states, allows farmers to set up their own districts to enforce soil conservation practices.
1937
FDR's planting trees project begins to protect the land for erosion.
1938
By replowing the land and planting trees, the amount of soil travel is reduced by 65 percent. The drought still continues though.
1939
In fall, rain returns bringing an end to this deathly drought. The country is pulled from the depression and the fields are bountiful with wheat again.
What was the dust bowl, and what effects did it cause to change history?The Dust Bowl, also known as the Dirty Thirties, was a period of severe dust storms that greatly damaged the ecology and agriculture of the US and Canadian prairies during the 1930s; severe drought and a failure to apply dry land farming methods to prevent wind erosion caused the phenomenon. The dust bowl occurred from 1932 to 1938. when prices were low and money was tight. Crops, people, and the economy were all affected by this tragic event.Crops were destroyed by all of the wind and dust blowing away the nutrients in the soil, the people were scared, poor, and sick due to the dust, and the economy was even worse than it was before because without all of the crops there were no jobs, and no income.
What was the Cause of the Dust Bowl?When pioneers headed west in the late 19th century, many couldn't resist the lure of the tall grassy land in the semiarid Midwestern and southern plains of the United States. They settled there to farm. They were prosperous in the decades that followed, but when the 1930s rolled in, so did strong winds, drought and clouds of dust that plagued nearly 75 percent of the United States between 1931 and 1939 . The era became known as the legendary Dust Bowl. The dust bowl was caused by lack of rain, primarily in the southern plains, The loss of rain affected vegetation and created dry soil which turned to dust. This dust was carried by the wind vigorously throughout the southern plains and then upward. By 1935, 850 million tons of soil had blown across 4 million acres of plains.
How did the Dust Bowl affect the CROPS in the 1930's?Imagine yourself, living in the time of the great depression. The only thing that is keeping you from being homeless is the fact that you have crops in your back yard that give you a small but steady income. Now imagine all of those money makers are dead due to dust that is putting you and your families lives in danger. plains grasslands had been deeply plowed and planted to wheat. During the years when there was adequate rainfall, the land produced bountiful crops. But as the droughts of the early 1930s deepened, the farmers kept plowing and planting and nothing would grow. The ground cover that held the soil in place was gone. The Plains winds whipped across the fields raising billowing clouds of dust to the skies.
How did the Dust Bowl affect PEOPLE in the 1930's?People were affected greatly by the Dust Bowl! They lost their money, crops, some even houses. Due to the fact that they couldn't go to work, because of the storms, they had no jobs, and their crops were destroyed, so some didn't even have food, and they couldn't talk if they did go out because the dust would get in their lungs. Children couldn't go out and play because they would be blown away, and adults had to make sure they knew where their children were at all times because young ones could wonder out into the streets. Author Juanita Nobles was born in 1935, and was one at the time of the dust storms. She recalls remembering the stories her parents told her about the struggles of the earlier years of the Dust Bowl. Juanita remembers her relatives clothes looking like the pictures, you would see on Google images when you search "effects of the dust bowl", dirty, old, and torn.
How did the Dust Bowl affect the ECONOMY in the 1930's?The 1930's time period, was part of the great depression. Times were tough, people were jobless, and to make it worse, the Dust Bowl took place. Can you imagine being poor and just being able to afford your house and then you cannot even go out of your house to work and get money, because if you do, the storms will blow you away or suffocate you. You soon run out of money, and all of your crops die, so now you don't have any food to sell and make money. Now these people are poor and miserable. The economy was terrible and the Dust Bowl did not help to make it any better.
What were safety precautions that people took during this disaster?During this disaster, safety was key for survival. Upon leaving your house, conversation posed as a danger for suffocating from dust. Hand signs were used for interaction while outside as well as in rooms with windows or cracks. Only in a room with no cracks or openings was talking advised. After you spoke, it was also recommended to wash your mouth, just to be safe. It was impossible to live a normal life during this time. One accidental breath could cost you your life, even if you were in excellent health prior to that.
Timeline of The Dust Bowl
1931
The drought hits and the dust forms and begins to expand.
1932
Fourteen dust storms occur (next year there will be 38).
1933
People get help money wise, food wise, and clothing wise; however, things go down hill again, there is strike and people are fleeing.
1934
Drought continues and it is now noted this is the worst in US history. Help is provided through banking services and the damage is recorded so far.
1935
The government begins to organize possible relief activities in hope of ridding the dust bowl. To spare animals, cattle is brought to safety countries. Remaining, unshipped cattle is used as food for the current survivors. $525 million is provided for drought relief and FDR authorizes creation of Works Progress Administration, employing 8.5 million. However, not all is well for too long. April 14, Black Sunday, occurs creating the worst black blizzard causing immense damages.
1936
SCS publishes a soil conservation law and if it is passed by the states, allows farmers to set up their own districts to enforce soil conservation practices.
1937
FDR's planting trees project begins to protect the land for erosion.
1938
By replowing the land and planting trees, the amount of soil travel is reduced by 65 percent. The drought still continues though.
1939
In fall, rain returns bringing an end to this deathly drought. The country is pulled from the depression and the fields are bountiful with wheat again.
Hyperlinks: To learn more about the dust bowl, click here!
<http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/timeline/dustbowl/><http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/depression/dustbowl.htm>